Knight says he didn't earn pay, gives year's salary back (ESPN)

Props to Knight. In an age where crappy coaches are being paid enormous amounts of money by athletic departments who are "struggling", here comes Knight to do the right thing and... just give it all back.

Ricardo Patton has been robbing Colorado blind for the past 8 years. I'm thinking he owes CU about $3-$4 million about right now.

Now we just need to get professional athletes to adopt these kind of ethics and professionalism..... Nah, never happen.

I was surprised to hear about this today. I must say that I am shocked that a person would actually do this. And I applaud him fully. If only there were more people that have power like Coach Knight and are willing to do what he did.

Oh please, you guys fall for this?? How much is he making from summer camps, Nike (or Adidas or whatever), any other company that will provide the official ball, drink, ... of Texas Tech or Bob Knight or whatever.

Bob Knight, regardless of how often he put his foot in his mouth or abuses his players, puts the same kind of pressure on himself to win. It doesn't surprise me that he did this because he is one of the few people who would hold himself to the same standard he holds his players to.

Originally posted by Thomas A Fina Ahem, he said *cough, cough* win, ahem

Bob Knight, regardless of how often he put his foot in his mouth or abuses his players, puts the same kind of pressure on himself to win. It doesn't surprise me that he did this because he is one of the few people who would hold himself to the same standard he holds his players to.

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Ahem, the *cough* last *achoo* time, I *hiccup*...okay, *gag* screw *fart* this...

Last time I looked, Dean Smith still had more wins than Knight, still had a virtually 100% graduation rate, still had the love and respect of ALL his players, still had more players in the pros, and did this all in a much more competitive conference.

Bobby has always been one of the best coaches in the business and had a huge amount of drive, but class personified? Newp.

With all that talent that Dean Smith has had over the years you would think that he would have more National Championships wouldn't he? Wouldn't he?

Did Dean Smith ever go undefeated in any season?

ACC TOUGHER CONFERENCE!?
Give me a break. Until Maryland broke into the scene recently there have only been 2 good teams in the ACC. North Carolina and Duke. Yes.......the ACC has more championships, but that's because Duke and North Carolina have been so dominant. The Big Ten has had a more diverse group of competition for years.

Skipshady might be right.........Dean Smith probably never cheated, but Bob Knight almost for sure did not.

Did you know that Dean Smith coached before Duke was any good?? Ever hear of South Carolina, NC State, Maryland (with Lefty)?? Those were some pretty good teams too. And in those days, not many people but John Wooden won the NCAA title.

Looks like Levante needs a history lesson. You know, there was a time when there was no such thing as an at-large bid.

Anyway, while I think Bobby Knight is a fine coach who means well most of the time, here is why I prefer Deano:
- didn't bully his players, the University administration or Jeremy Schaap and other journalists.
- admits when he's wrong
- never hogged the spotlight.
- didn't humiliate players or officials in public
- graduates almost all his players (even players that leave early like Jordan and Carter)
- as bungadiri mentioned, still has love and respect of all former players (he maintains contact with even the 12th man from 20 years ago)
- doesn't get jealous of his former players and assistants (remember how Knight treated Coach K and Alford?)
- when a player doesn't fit in the program, he eases them out and helps him find another program (contrast that with Knight's treatment of Funderburke)

I know I'm a little biased, and I know both Dean and Knight can win without cheating. But if I were a university president and I wanted a basketball program that wins without embarassing the school, I'd pick Dean any day. His basketball mind is highly underrated because of the players he has had, and he is, unlike Knight, class personified.

Originally posted by skipshady Looks like Levante needs a history lesson. You know, there was a time when there was no such thing as an at-large bid.

Anyway, while I think Bobby Knight is a fine coach who means well most of the time, here is why I prefer Deano:
- didn't bully his players, the University administration or Jeremy Schaap and other journalists.
- admits when he's wrong
- never hogged the spotlight.
- didn't humiliate players or officials in public
- graduates almost all his players (even players that leave early like Jordan and Carter)
- as bungadiri mentioned, still has love and respect of all former players (he maintains contact with even the 12th man from 20 years ago)
- doesn't get jealous of his former players and assistants (remember how Knight treated Coach K and Alford?)
- when a player doesn't fit in the program, he eases them out and helps him find another program (contrast that with Knight's treatment of Funderburke)

I know I'm a little biased, and I know both Dean and Knight can win without cheating. But if I were a university president and I wanted a basketball program that wins without embarassing the school, I'd pick Dean any day. His basketball mind is highly underrated because of the players he has had, and he is, unlike Knight, class personified.

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He also played a major role in promoting desegregation and easing its tensions at UNC by recruiting Charlie Scott in 1967 and being a strong pro-civil rights voice at the university from that day forward.

As if on cue, Rick Reilly writes a nice little column about Deano's activism in this week's SI. You may not agree with the man's views, but I don't think you could possibly argue that he is not a class act.

Originally posted by skipshady Looks like Levante needs a history lesson. You know, there was a time when there was no such thing as an at-large bid.

No I don't thank you very much.

Anyway, while I think Bobby Knight is a fine coach who means well most of the time, here is why I prefer Deano:
- didn't bully his players, the University administration or Jeremy Schaap and other journalists.

Yes he bullied his players and he made them better for it. Bob Knight enhanced the IU experience. He practically built their library. You think that what Knight did to Schaap is bullying?

- admits when he's wrong
I agree with you here...Knight could get better at this.

- never hogged the spotlight.
Michael Jordan hogged the spotlight.......does that make him a bad person?

- graduates almost all his players (even players that leave early like Jordan and Carter)

So did Knight.

- as bungadiri mentioned, still has love and respect of all former players (he maintains contact with even the 12th man from 20 years ago)

With the exception of several players....Knight does the same.

- doesn't get jealous of his former players and assistants (remember how Knight treated Coach K and Alford?)

This one takes the cake. Where did you get your facts for this little tidbit....ESPN...CNNSI.........I don't know what happened with Coach K (By the way they're friends) but you don't have a clue about what happened with Alford. Let me enlighten you. Alford began his coaching career at Manchester College (A D III school in Indiana) and did really well there. Do you want to know why Knight didn't talk to him? Knight got pissed off at him because during away games he rode in a private car while his team rode in the bus. All along Knight felt that he was cheating his players at Manchester because he didn't develop any relationships with them. Furthermore.......it's a widely believed rumor that Alford cheated (yes money handed over) to get Div. I transfers to play for him (he got two during his championship run) and that Knight admonished him for this.

- when a player doesn't fit in the program, he eases them out and helps him find another program (contrast that with Knight's treatment of Funderburke)

Funderburke was not someone Bobby Knight wanted to vouch for. Plain and simple. Would you lend your name to almost anybody?

I know I'm a little biased, and I know both Dean and Knight can win without cheating.

As am I with Knight......no one is going to win this argument.

But if I were a university president and I wanted a basketball program that wins without embarassing the school, I'd pick Dean any day. His basketball mind is highly underrated because of the players he has had, and he is, unlike Knight, class personified.

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No.......overrated. His players made him. Dean Smith knows that and I agree with you he is a classy person that knew how to handle people.....he was great at it and I do admire the man, but you have swallowed the Media's pill Slimshady.

Originally posted by Levante Yes he bullied his players and he made them better for it. Bob Knight enhanced the IU experience. He practically built their library. You think that what Knight did to Schaap is bullying?

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Knight got the best players from his region for decades (he had less recruiting competition than Smith). While his tactics and strategies made him a good, even great coach and made his players a better team, his bullying made many of his players miserable, and hampered his recruiting later in his career. It also made Knight...a bully. His behavior with reporters in general was not only bullying, it was nonsensical, masturbatory and self-defeating. There are plenty of coaches out there who get just as much from their players without making them feel small or ashamed, there a plenty of successful coaches out there who can deal with the press as adults. Knight succeeded despite his lapses into tyrannical claptrap, not because of them.

Michael Jordan hogged the spotlight.......does that make him a bad person?

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In post game press conferences, Dean Smith made sure the players got the attention. He constantly deflected questions about himself, gave credit to his players, and protected his players from criticism. Knight’s press conferences were all to frequently either about him getting his ya-yas in front of the camera or explaining how his players had failed him. Oh, and Michael Jordan earned that spotlight.

So did Knight

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Maybe, but not as well as Smith.

With the exception of several players....Knight does the same.

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No exceptions with Dean Smith.

This one takes the cake. Where did you get your facts for this little tidbit....ESPN...CNNSI.........I don't know what happened with Coach K (By the way they're friends) but you don't have a clue about what happened with Alford. Let me enlighten you. Alford began his coaching career at Manchester College (A D III school in Indiana) and did really well there. Do you want to know why Knight didn't talk to him? Knight got pissed off at him because during away games he rode in a private car while his team rode in the bus. All along Knight felt that he was cheating his players at Manchester because he didn't develop any relationships with them. Furthermore.......it's a widely believed rumor that Alford cheated (yes money handed over) to get Div. I transfers to play for him (he got two during his championship run) and that Knight admonished him for this.

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The altercation was public. Knight was miffed because Alford didn't kowtow to him. And where do you get off questioning ESPN and CNNSi as sources while at the same time you're tossing out some exculpatory (for Knight) and defamatory (for Alford) rumor you got off the Indiana basketball forum as fact?

Funderburke was not someone Bobby Knight wanted to vouch for. Plain and simple. Would you lend your name to almost anybody?

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But the point is you never saw anything like this happen between Smith and any of his players, because 1) he wasn't into humiliating his players, so he didn't have guys wanting to leave, as Funderburke did and 2) even when he had players leaving early to the pros, Smith did what he could to help them find the best possible situation. 3) Funderburke did fine at Ohio State, and he did fine in the pros. Your suggestion that he was somehow unworthy of Knight's help is reflective of Knight's attitude and a good example of why I prefer Smith.

No.......overrated. His players made him. Dean Smith knows that and I agree with you he is a classy person that knew how to handle people.....he was great at it and I do admire the man, but you have swallowed the Media's pill Slimshady.

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I’m with Skip: anybody trying to start a college basketball program given the choice between a young Dean Smith and a young Bobby Knight would go with Smith. 2 great coaches, but Knight has baggage Dean doesn't. As for his basketball mind being "overrated," Bobby Knight himself said Dean's book "Multiple Offenses and Defenses" was the best book ever written about basketball.

Originally posted by bungadiri anybody trying to start a college basketball program given the choice between a young Dean Smith and a young Bobby Knight would go with Smith. 2 great coaches, but Knight has baggage Dean doesn't. As for his basketball mind being "overrated," Bobby Knight himself said Dean's book "Multiple Offenses and Defenses" was the best book ever written about basketball.

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To add to this, to call Dean Smith overrated because of the players he had is simply ridiculous - consider that he made 4 Final Four appearances in his last 7 years at Carolina - each time, he didn't have the most talented or deepest squad in the country.

And perhaps Dean just developed players to be better pros than other coaches? Even if he did get the best players, isn't it part of a coach's job to recognize and attract talented players?

Regardless, if you know anything about basketball, you'd know that Dean was one of the foremost innovators in the game.